Did They Send Me Daughters When I Asked for Sons?
by CaseyIsMyValentine
Summary: "So pack up, go home, you're through." Classic Disney. Anyway, Sammy's dad is all, "Oh, snap, I have a daughter"...Cammy in like, 2nd chapter. When it comes.


**Note: **So, on Wendelin Van Draanen's blog she was talking about the ending of the series. And if you visit her blog, you'll be able to see the prologue of the book-before-the-last-book. Alright, that's not the point, the point is, in the prologue, Sammy says, _Which is how I wound up on a cruise with a dad I barely knew, an endless buffet of party animals, and a family of creepy millionaires. _AND, the book after _Night of Skulls _is called _Power of Justice Jack. _I already read _Power of Justice Jack _because I won the Advanced Reader's Copy in a contest on her blog, but I'm not allowed to spoil anything until the book actually comes out in July, so yeah. And the book after _Justice Jack _is called, according to her, _Showdown in Sin City _(but she said the title might change a little). And the book after THAT (the book-before-the-LAST-book) is called _Sammy Keyes and the Killer Cruise. _AND then, the LAST book, WVD said, is supposed to be called _Sammy Keyes and the Kiss Goodbye. _I know not everyone reads her blog or the comments, so I thought it would be useful to share it here. :)

ANYWAY, even though I read Justice Jack, I'm still going to post stories, but they won't spoil anything, I promise. And since she mentioned her "dad she barely knew" in the prologue of Killer Cruise, I decided to do a little story on that. (Yes, Cammy is in it…how could there NOT be!)

_**Did They Send Me Daughters When I Asked for Sons?**_

I got the phone call on a Saturday morning. I didn't bother checking the I.D. before I picked it up. Too sleepy. Too tired. Don't care.

"Harry, I'm going to tell her."

Suddenly I was sitting upright. "Tell…tell Samantha?" my mouth felt dry.

"Harry, she has to know now. She's almost in high school and she still lives with Rita in the Highrise. It's time."

My mouth felt dry. "But…but…_Lana_."

"Please. Can you meet me at the Highrise today?" she told me Rita's floor and room number.

I rubbed my temple. _Jesus Christ. _Was she trying to kill me? "Alright. Okay, Lana, I'll do it. What time?"

"Around noon. And…" she paused. "Thank you."

I knew this day was going to come, but the fact that it had to be today was getting on my nerves. She should have told me ahead of time. Why did she always spring things on me? I wasn't ready to handle this kind of stress. Not today, at least.

I rolled out of bed, showered, got dressed, and headed downstairs. But I couldn't bring myself to eat a bite, not even after I stared at the pantry for ten straight minutes. Same procedure with the fridge, and I still had zero appetite.

I collapsed on a chair by the kitchen table and just stared out the window. The sun was barely up. Leave it to Lana, to call me at 6 in the morning. I watched as the sun rose higher and higher, blanketing foggy the sky with a warm glow of golden.

Samantha. Was I ready to meet my daughter? I didn't think so, but what choice did I have? If I had it my way, I would avoid her for the rest of my life. Not because I didn't love her. I didn't _know _her. But because I had no idea how to act. What to say. I'm your father, Samantha. And I've been living right under your nose all your life.

I'd see her in the paper on occasions. I'd seen her around town. My head found its way to my hands, my fingers slowly rubbing my temples. _Lord. _What was I going to _say?_

I stalled until noon. I wandered the house, not daring to leave. If I caught even a glimpse of her, I knew I would have to bail at meeting her later. It would scare me witless. What can I say? I tend to avoid the things that make me uncomfortable.

But noon came too soon, and I found myself driving up the Senior Highrise. Heading up to Rita's floor. Knocking on her door.

I heard some shuffling inside, but finally Lana yanked the door open.

"Harry."

"Lana." I smiled and gave a little nod of the head.

Lana led me into the small apartment. Compact, but cozy. Still. It was small. Samantha had to live in _this _for years? Only Lana would allow this to happen. _Only Lana._

And there sat the only daughter I had. The only daughter I would _ever _had. I had learned the hard way and I was paying the price.

I had to face it. I had never wanted a daughter. I had not wanted a child in the first place. But if I had to, I would have chosen a son.

She was staring up at me as if she was Harry from Spiderman, and I was her father, the Green Goblin. Her horrified expression could not be replaced. I wasn't a monster. But she could only see me as an alien. Because here I was, in Santa Martina, knowing all these years about Samantha Keyes, my daughter. And I hadn't been able to face up to her until this point—only to be dragged by Lana, of course.

She croaked out a, "Hi," and I couldn't make myself move.

"I told her everything," Lana said in a cold voice. She wouldn't look me in the eye. I saw Rita standing in the corner looking exhausted. It had been a rough morning, I could tell.

"What…" out of my mouth came only air, like a fish trying to speak. I couldn't do it. Not here…I didn't know anything about her.

I knew her name. I knew her age. I knew her hair color and eye color.

I didn't even know her _favorite _color.

I was not a father.

Then out of Samantha's mouth came, "Dad?"

As if I had the right to be called 'dad'. As if I had the right to even _be _her dad.

"Am I really coming to live with you?" she finally popped out with. Suddenly a smile formed on her face, and my hands on my forehead going, "_What?"_

"That's right," said Lana firmly, standing beside her mother for backup. "I may not be there all the time for her, but at least I'm there. She's lived in this small place far too long. She's _thirteen. _She can't stay in here forever. She's going to live with you."

That is when my first life ended and my second life started.

**Note: **I have NO idea…what this was meant to be. But I'm actually going to start writing from Sammy's point of view for the next few chapters because let's be honest. No one really cares about you, dad. We want Sammy. And of course, Billy and Casey and everyone else who makes the stories SAMMY KEYES. Is this worth continuing?


End file.
